Antiskid chain



J. C. BISHOP ANTISKID CHAIN Feb. s, 1938.

Filed Aug. 28, 1937 INVENTORI vb/m' 6.5).)7/0/ Fhfozusv Patented F ch. 8, 1938 UNITED STATES ZdtLSl'Z PATENT OFFEQE Application August 28,

1 Claim.

My invention relates generally to improvements in anti-skid chains for motor vehicle tires and more particularly to an improved form of buckle or fastener for holding the chains in place.

In anti-skid chains of the emergency type or of the form in which a short length of double chain is wrapped around the tire and secured by a fabric strap and buckle it has been found that the buckles at present employed are inadequate in that they very frequently become loosened and allow the chains to fall from the tire and become lost. Also the buckles at present, in the attempt to secure a positive fastening, pinch the fabric end or strap so tightly that it is abraded and out and rapidly becomes useless.

It is therefore the main object of my invention to provide a fastening or buckle which will positively hold the chain in place on the tire and which will not out or otherwise ruin the strap.

A further object is to provide a buckle of this kind which is simple and durable in construction and comprises simply a buckle plate having a channel to accommodate the strap and a pressure plate or pad to engage the strap, and a buckle tongue or clamp including a cam to press the pressure plate tightly against the strap and having a lever slotted to pass the strap end which is passed therethrough to prevent the tongue from releasing the pressure on the strap.

With these and other objects in view the in vention resides in the novel construction and arrangement of parts as hereinafter fully set forth and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawing as showing a preferred embodiment of my invention for purposes of exemplification.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a cross section of an automobile Wheel and tire showing a chain with my improved buckle in use.

Figure 2 is an enlarged plan view of the buckle and associated parts, the buckle being shown in locked or fastened position.

Figure 3 is a section along the line 3-3 in Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the buckle tongue alone.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the pressure plate or pad alone.

Referring now with more particularity to the drawing the reference character A designates an emergency chain of the usual form comprising two short lengths of chain B connected at op- 1937, Serial No. 161,387

posite ends to abuckle C and a tail plate D, the latter carrying a length of flexible fabric strap E. The chains B are placed across and around the tread of the automobile tire F and the strap E is run across the inside of the wheel felloe G after which it is passed through the buckle C and pulled tight, this being the usual arrangement of the chain.

My invention relates to improvements in the buckle C and, in accordance therewith, the buckle comprises a buckle plate 6 of T-shape including laterally extended wings l which are slotted as at 8 to receive the end links of the chains B. The stem or shank 9 of the buckle plate is turned up along its opposite parallel margins to form spaced mounting ears ID and provide a valley or channel ll therebetween and through which the strap E may pass. Near one end each ear 20 has a slot i2 and, at some distance from each slot and spaced further from the stem 9 of the buckle plate, an aperture is is formed in each ear. At their oppoiste ends the ears have fingers, legs or catches It turned inward over the channel ll parallel with the face of the stem 9 and which terminate considerably short of meeting across the channel as shown in Figure 2.

A pressure or clamp plate or pad I5 is provided, the same being of rectangular shape in plan and there being short trunnions or pivot studs t6 extended laterally from one end of the pad. These trunnions 16 are entered in the slots l2 of the ears Ill and the pad l5 then fits down into the channel I I, being of such width as to fit nicely therein. The end of the pad carrying the trunnions l 6 is hereinafter, for convenience in description, termed its frontal end and it is turned or bowed upwardly somewhat away from the buckle stem 9 so that the tail portion ll of the pad will lie substantially parallel with the said stem. The adjacent faces of both the stem 9 and pad l5 are roughened or serrated crosswise as indicated at l8. The slots Ill are obliquely cut and their rear ends slope downwardly toward the stem 9 as viewed in Figure 3 and hence forward movement of the pressure pad l5 tends to lift it from the stem while rearward movement moves it closer to the stem. At all times however the spacing at the frontal end of the pad is sufiicient to pass the strap E which may be readily passed through the channel ll between the stem 9 and pressure pad I5. Then when the end of the strap is pulled back over the frontal end of the pressure pad l5, which is rounded at this end as at l5a for this purpose, the strap and the chains B will be pulled tight around the tire F and wheel felloe I9 which is formed of heavy sheet material into a bell-crank shape including the elongated lever or handle 20 and short angularly turned cam or clamp arm 2 I. The width of the clamp I9 is such that it too will fit nicely between the. ears I6 and at the junction of the lever 20 and cam 2I short trunnions 20a are laterally extended and pivotally mounted in the aforesaid apertures I3 in the ears. The cam 2! is thus so located that it turns toward the pressure pad I5 and while, in the opened position indicated in dotted lines in Figure 3, the cam swings out of engagement with the pad, as the lever 28 is then swung down to the position shown in full lines the cam. 2I will press very firmly down on the pad I5 and will causethe same to grip'ithe strap E tightly. The apertures I3 are so located in the ears ID relative to the length of the cam 2I as to cause this clamping action as the cam moves down against the pressure pad I5.

Adjacent their junction both the. lever 20 and cam 2! have aligned slots 22 extended crosswise and of such length as to accommodate the end of the strap E which is passed through them after being pulled back over the frontal end of the pressure pad I5 and of course after the clamp I8 is closed or moved to fastened position. The

width of the channel II, pressure pad I5 and clamp I9 are considerably greater than the width of the strapuE thus permitting the cutting of the slots 22 without materially weakening the clamp as will be understood. The space between the fingers Id however is less than the width of the strap E and the clamp lever 20 is notched out on each side as at 23 to clear these fingers id as the lever swings down into the channel I I in fastened position. The. strap E is then, after emerging from the slots 22, passed beneath the fingers I4 and then finally through another slot 24 cut in the lever 20 adjacent its end. This free end 25 'of the lever 20 is curved upward as shown in order to facilitate passing the strap through this last slot 24. e

Theuse and operation of the buckle will be readily apparent from the foregoing, it being understood that the strap E is first pulled tightly.

through the channel I I over the rounded end I 5a of the pressure pad I5 to set the pad against the strap. The clamp J9 is then closed causing the cam 2| to press the pad I5 against the strap affording a wide area of gripping-surface which will securely grip the strap without cutting or injuring it in any way. Then the strap end is passed through the slots 22, beneath the fingers I4 and finally through the slot 24 and the strap thus positively prevents the clamp I9 from swinging open no matter what hard service it may encounter. In this connection the strap when passed through the slots 22 will prevent opening movement of the clamp since the strap to permit such movement would have to pull through beneath pressure pad which is obviously impossible. Then the strap willstrilre the underside of the fingers I4 further preventing said movement of the clamp and to escape from the fingers it would be necessary for the strap to pull free through the slot 26 and slip from beneath the fingers which is obviously very unlikely to happen. in service. It will be evident therefore that the strap passing through the slots 22 beneath the fingers it and through the slot 24 constitutes a triple lock for the clamp I9 and prevents accidental loosening thereof. a

While I have herein'set forth a certain preferred embodiment of my invention it is understood that I may vary from the same in minor structural details so as best to provide a practical device for the purposes intended, not depart ing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope of the appended claim.

I claim:

A strap buckle including a buckle plate, ears turned up in spaced relation from the plate form ing a channel therebetween to accommodate a strap, the said ears having slots adjacent one end and apertures spaced therefrom, a pressure pad pivotally mounted at one end in the slots and lying in the channel, the adjacent faces of the pad and plate being serrated crosswise, a buckle clamp of hell crank shape pivoted in the said apertures and comprising a cam adapted to engage the pressure pad, a lever on the buckle clamp, the said lever and cam having aligned slots extended crosswise to receive the strap, and catches turned inwardly from the said ears and terminating with a space between less than the width of the strap.

, JOHN C. BISHOP. 

